Bumbleride Indie Stroller Review: Best Single Stroller.

indie01Bumbleride is perhaps my favorite stroller company right now, thanks to the Indie Twin stroller, which is our go-to stroller these days when carting the kids around. My husband and I decided to take a look at the single stroller version, the Indie, in order to see if it could measure up to its sibling, and the good news is that it does. The Bumbleride Indie is an amazing single all-terrain stroller. It’s clearly marketed toward parents who value style, safety, and functionality; you can do light jogging with it and it doesn’t take up an entire sidewalk or store aisle when you’re using it on regular terrain. What follows is what I believe to be the most detailed Bumbleride Indie stroller review on the Internet.

Quick Review of the Bumbleride Indie Single Stroller

indie02The Bumbleride Indie stroller, frankly, is a mom or dad’s dream. The canopy is huge, the foot  rest is adjustable, the recline goes waaaay down, the seat is roomy, the under seat basket is generously sized, and the frame is nice and light. I had to whip out the scale the other day because it felt too light to be real. In fact, it only weighs 20 pounds. The fact that it comes with air-filled tires and has a suspension system along the rear tires only helps make the ride an even smoother one. It practically pushes itself when on the move, and you only need one hand to make it glide. I also like the fact that eco-friendly fabrics were used to make the seats, and that as an aside, they aid in temperature regulation and in moisture absorption. It’s a pretty futuristic stroller, isn’t it?

However, it’s also a highly functional one. You can turn the Bumbleride Indie into a travel system by using the car seat adapter that’s included with the stroller, or by buying the matching bassinet. You can also recline the seat low enough to make it similar to a bassinet and quite newborn-friendly if you choose to, which gets rid of the need to buy a bassinet to begin with. You even get a bumper bar! The stroller itself is usable from birth and has a maximum child weight of 45 pounds. If you’d like to transport twins or siblings, you’ll want to check out the Bumbleride Indie Twin review , which goes into why the Bumbleride Indie Twin is our favorite double stroller on the market. Similarly, if you want an all-terrain stroller but don’t need one that’s quite as attuned to jogging as the Indie, you’ll want to look into our review of the Bumbleride Indie 4, which will likely suit your needs.

I’d rate the Bumbleride Indie Single stroller with 5 out 5 stars due to the sheer amount of quality it provides in terms of both form and function. I love the features, the handling, and the look of it, and I wouldn’t change anything except to add an automatic brake to it. Pretty much everything else is included in it, and I’m not easy to please.  The stroller isn’t cheap by any means, but when it comes to strollers, I’ve learned that you get what you pay for, and if you’re interested in high levels of quality and long-lasting reliability, the Indie stroller is the best single all-terrain stroller on the market. The cheapest price I’ve found so far for the Bumbleride Indie is on Amazon here, which also gets you the car seat adapter, bumper bar, and a cup holder. Keep in mind that some colors are cheaper than others. You can also pick up the Indie Twin on Amazon for their sale price with free shipping, free returns, and without sales tax.

Buy the Bumbleride Indie Single Stroller on Sale at Amazon.

Pros of the Bumbleride Indie Stroller

indie03Huge canopy. The canopy on the Bumbleride Indie is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time on a single stroller, and it makes me happy every time I put my kids into it. It extends from its storage area by the handle bar to the bumper bar in the front of the stroller, which means your little ones can get complete coverage and shade from the sun at any time, regardless of the weather. Even if you completely recline the seat, you can keep your child covered and out of the sun.

The sun’s rays also won’t be an issue for your child’s skin, as SPF 45 UV protection is built into the canopy. The canopy connects to the seat back with metallic snap buttons and a zipper is also located in the back part of the canopy so it can be turned into a floating canopy that you can move with the path of the sun. When the days get hot, I tend to unzip the canopy so more air can circulate throughout the seating area.

Above the canopy is a mesh peekaboo window that also allows for air ventilation. The peekaboo window is opened and closed through Velcro straps, which can be a bit noisy, but it works well enough. It would also be nice if the window were a bit larger, but besides that, I have absolutely no complaints, and would easily label this as the best single stroller canopy you’re going to find on the market.

indie04Adjustable handle bar. I think every stroller should have an adjustable handle bar, and Bumbleride clearly agrees. You can adjust the height from 25″ above the ground to 43″, which is generous enough to accommodate parents of all sizes. There is a foam covering on the handle bar on the left and right sides while there’s a metal grip in the center that allows you to steer the stroller with a single hand. I like the grip, as it adds a stylish touch to the stroller and it also makes it easier to move the stroller around when I’m using the other hand to talk on the phone or manage my dogs on their leash.

Adjustable cup holder. I’m also a fan of the fact that a cup holder is actually included in this stroller; this is an increasingly rare phenomenon! I can fit a typical bottle of water inside it or a generously sized cup of coffee. There’s a curved opening in the center of the cup holder that allows it to adjust to fit cups of different sizes, which adds to its utility. You can remove the cup holder to place it on either side of the stroller. As a coffee drinker, I love this.

Large and roomy seat. The seat is 12.5″ in width and 22″ in height as measured from the bottom of the seat to the canopy top. You can recline the seat nearly completely with one hand, but in order to raise the seat, you will need a pair of hands. The recline isn’t completely flat, but it’s incredibly close to a flat position. The Bumbleride Indie is usable from birth and can support children until they reach 45 pounds. Examples of good car seats you can use with the Indie as a travel system include the Chicco KeyFit 30 and other great infant seats I recommend.

Built-in almost bassinetPart of what I like the most about the Bumbleride Indie is that you can turn it into a bassinet-like seat for your child. If you set the recline as far back as possible to its nearly-flat position and pull the leg rest to its highest setting, you get what looks almost completely like a bassinet. It’s not necessary to remove your bumper bar to make this happen. You can clip a pair of materials located beneath the leg rest to each side of the seat for additional support, as well as a big rap of material around the seat top designed to keep your baby safe if you unclip the canopy from behind the seat.

In other words, this feature was designed intentionally and with safety in mind; these are some of the details that make this a luxury stroller. Of course, it’s also possible to buy an actual bassinet from Bumbleride so you can make the stroller a pram. And let me tell you, there aren’t very many all-terrain or jogging strollers that allow you to purchase bassinets as accessories.

Buy the Bumbleride Indie Single Stroller on Sale at Amazon.

indie05Environmentally friendly fabricThe fabrics used for the Bumbleride canopy and seat are designed to both help regulate the body temperature of your little one and absorb moisture naturally. The fabrics are made of a blend of bamboo and nylon and are organic and designed with the Earth in mind. As an ecologically-conscious parent, I appreciate that. The stroller exterior is made from recycled materials, and are tough and resistant to the elements, which gives me a lot of confidence while using it.

Padded 5-point harness. The harness for the Bumbleride Indie is adjustable and padded and includes a recently redesigned center release button. The button is designed to make it difficult for restless children to get themselves out, and it seems to do the job quite well. There are 4 positions for harness height and the shoulder straps may be separated from the lower waist straps, which makes it easier to get children into and out of the seat.

Padded bumper barThe bumper bar is included with the Bumbleride, which is nice when you consider the fact that it’s not the cheapest stroller on the market. You can adjust the bumper bar and snap it in and out quite easily. It has the same weatherproof fabric as that used in the canopy, and the fabric can be removed simply by unzipping it.

Adjustable foot rest. The foot rest, which was updated recently, is adjustable in the leg rest area. You can set the leg rest at a flat horizontal angle and at a negative, drop down angle. Because the foot drop angle has been steepened, it’s possible to fit taller children now in the Bumbleride, which makes it more useful in my perspective.

Deep, large basket. The basket beneath the Bumbleride is a good one; quite deep and large and wide. You can get to it without any trouble even if you’ve fully reclined the seat, which is a blessing, considering how hard that it to do with a number of other strollers. You can fit a full diaper bag and a few small groceries or toys there, and you also can access it from the left and right sides of the stroller.

indie06All-terrain wheels. There are three tires on the Bumbleride Indie, and they work marvelously. They are 12″ in diameter and air-filled. You can easily remove the rear wheels in order to achieve a more compact fold. You can swivel the front wheel at up to 360 degrees to achieve full maneuverability while on the move or you can lock it in place to give you extra stability while jogging or on trails.

Rear-wheel suspensionThe rear-wheel suspension works in tandem with those large and beefy tires to create a stroller that can handle just about any kind of terrain without giving you bumps. It’s really easy to push and I don’t have any trouble steering it with one hand, which is great when I’m trying to make it to the minivan to get too many groceries put away. I’ve tried it in a couple of inches of snow and the Bumbleride didn’t give me a lick of trouble there either.

Rear foot-activated parking brake. Between the two rear wheels, you’ll find the foot brake. It’s a paddle-style brake, which means you just press on it with your foot to activate it and then pull up with your foot to release it. It takes a bit of force to move in either direction.

Easy (though not the easiest) fold. You can fold the Bumbleride Indie with a pair of hands in three steps. You first need to retract the canopy and pull down the bumper bar to its lowest position. You then pull on a pair of levers, one on either side of the stroller, and at the same time, move the handle bar into a forward position. If you want to fold the stroller in half, there’s a strap in the middle of the seat that you’ll need to pull. Keep in mind that the stroller can’t stand on its own, which means you’ll need to lower it to the ground when you want to lock it, as there isn’t an automatic lock. The folded dimensions are reasonably compact at 32″ in length, 24.5″ in width, and 15″ in height. The rear wheels can also be removed if you’ve got a shortage of space in your trunk.

Car seat adapter. Finally, I’m a fan of the included car seat adapter, as it lets you form a travel system from your Indie stroller. You can use the adapter with Graco, Britax, Combi, Peg Perego, and Chicco car seats. There are a number of highly capable infant seats that will work with the Indie.

Cons of the Bumbleride Indie Stroller

No automatic braking system. The biggest drawback, from my perspective, of the Indie stroller is that it doesn’t come with a system for automatically braking the stroller if you lose contact with it, the way the Navigator and Classic strollers do. This is a feature that should come with every stroller, in my opinion, due to the great safety boost it provides. Hopefully Bumbleride adds it in the next update to the Indie.

Two hand fold. This is a minor qualm, but I wish you could fold the stroller up completely with a single hand. It would also be nice if there were an automatic locking system included.

Specifications of the Bumbleride Indie Stroller

The Indie Stroller weighs 20 pounds and has a 45 pound weight limit. Its folded dimensions are 32″ in height, 24.5″ in width, and 15″ in length. The handle bar can range from 25″ to 43″ in height, and the seat itself is 22″ high. The air-filled wheels are 12″ in diameter.

Warranty on the Bumbleride Indie Stroller

There is a 3-year-warranty from Bumbleride with the purchase of the Indie. The clock starts ticking on the date of purchase. You can find more information about the warranty here.

Where to buy the Bumbleride Indie Stroller

I prefer buying my strollers and similar baby items from Amazon, since they often have the lowest prices, free returns and shipping, and don’t charge sales tax. I completely recommend the Bumbleride Indie Stroller. You can buy it here in Green Papyrus, Aquamarine, Jet Black, Cayenne Red, and Fog Grey.

If you find the information on car safety, recommended car seats, and car seat reviews on this car seat blog helpful, you can shop through this Amazon link for any purchases, car seat-related or not. Canadians can shop through this link for Canadian purchases.